Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (Russian: Юрий Алексеевич Гагарин; Klushino, Soviet

Union, March 9, 1934 - Novosyolovo, Soviet Union, March 27, 1968) was a Soviet
cosmonaut. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space, to do
aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1.

Yuri was the third of four children of a carpenter father, her older sister was in charge of
caring for him while their parents worked. A Gagarin described him as intelligent and
hardworking boy. His mathematics teacher fought the Red Army Air during the Great
Patriotic War, a fact that impressed the young Gagarin.

Yuri was a steelworker until 1954, when it is targeted at the airfield in the city of Saratov.
He learned to fly a light aircraft, a hobby that became increasingly more intense. In 1955,
after completing his technical studies, he entered the Military School of Pilots of Orenburg.
During his stay in the school met with Valentina Goricheva whom he married in 1957 after
getting his pilot's wings. In 1959 he ran for first spaceflight.

Selection and training

In 1960, after a selection process, the Soviet space program selected from among 20 other
Gagarin cosmonauts. He underwent a series of experiments and tests to determine their
physical and psychological resistance during flight. Gagarin raced in this selection with
another cosmonaut, Gherman Titov. Gagarin passed the exams with the highest levels.
Besides representing more effectively the communist ideal to be child workers, unlike
Titov, who was the son of shopkeepers, besides the name Gherman was considered a name
of German origin. [Citation needed] However, Titov was backup cosmonaut on that first
flight into space and accompanied, also dressed attachments cosmonaut, Gagarin in space
shuttle rocket.

Spaceflight

On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in Vostok 1. His
code name for the flight was "cedar" (Russian: Кедр).

According to the comments of the Soviets, during orbit Gagarin said: "We do not see any
God." However, there is no record showing that Gagarin spoke these words. Instead know
that it was Nikita Khrushchev who in some context, he said, "Gagarin was in space, but did
not see any God there" after these words began to be attributed to the cosmonaut. What we
do know for sure is that the cosmonaut said from the Vostok 1 to orbit the Earth, "Residents
of the world, we protect this beauty, not destroy it."

During the flight, Gagarin was promoted from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Major. The
Soviet authorities believed was more likely to die than survive the descent.

At 10:20 that day, Gagarin landed by parachute in Tajtarova (Siberia) after thrown from the
Vostok capsule. A farmer was the first person to see the bloated figure of the cosmonaut
covered by an orange jumpsuit. "Do you come from outer space?" Asked the old lady.
"Certainly, yes," Gagarin said that to appease the peasants, he hastened to add: "Do not be
alarmed, I am a Soviet."

DEATH AND LEGACY

Gagarin died on March 27, 1968 when the fighter aircraft MiG-15 during a routine flight
piloting crashed near Moscow. It is not known for sure what caused the accident, but in
1986 an investigation suggested that the turbulence caused by another aircraft could have
destabilized the ship Gagarin. The weather conditions were not favorable. There was also
talk that could have affected their ability to drive to go drinking. A standing stone marks
the exact point at 10:30 hours, the flying game in the first cosmonaut in the world and his
instructor, Vladimir Sirioguin fell sharply, sinking six meters into the ground.

At that time, the Soviet official explained that Gagarin had managed to divert the plane
enough to avoid crashing into a school, thus saving thousands of children, but had not had
time to jump off the device.

The Space Museum in Moscow you can see the original device which Yuri Gagarin flew
into space.

POYEJALI!!!!

Poyejali! (Russian: Поехали!, Is translated as "go!") Was the phrase that Gagarin said at
the time of departure of his ship, Vostok 1. He became a symbol of the space age (next to
Neil Armstrong's famous phrase "It's a small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"),
and also began to become part of popular culture Russian. Used before starting a job or
project, especially if complicated or risky. It has also been used as a toast.